McGregor Chapter *McGregor's chapter highlighted the realistic challenges of collaboration, including district policies where funding and staffing is involved (201).
*The complications of change were addressed in McGregor's writing. The explanation of the two types of change (bottom-up and top-down) was helpful in understanding how those affect change in a school environment (203). *The statement from McGregor that "there is no right or wrong way to make things happen in his or her particular situation" was comforting to me (204). It's nice to know that it is a learning process, it will have ups and downs, and it allows for more team problem-solving to work out the complexities. *Another aspect of the teacher librarian's role that struck me was the concept of the librarian being able to have the global outlook of the curriculum. Classroom teachers are focused on one grade level and sometimes one content area, whereas the teacher librarian can see everything. As McGregor stated "The teacher librarian and the principal are typically the only ones with the 'big picture view,' and thus, the teacher librarian can propose collaborative ways to address overall problems by collaborative methods" (210). This point was also made by Paula, the principal interviewed in the testimonial videos. She said the librarian works with every single student and is the only one with the "global perspective of the school" (2009).
Citation McGregor, J. Collaboration and Leadership. In Stripling, B. K. and Hughes-Hassell, S. (eds.), Curriculum Connections through the Library. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2003. 119-219. (pdf file)
Collaboration Testimonials *A statement that seemed to crop up in the collaboration testimonials was the sharing of ideas. Several of the interviewees (Peg, Mary Ann, Kelly) mentioned that aspect of collaboration. *Sherri mentioned being able to bring a very general idea to the T-L and the T-L generating ideas for doing digital storytelling. *Tracy - elementary Art teacher - commented that collaborating "expanded instruction." *Peg - Kindergarten teacher - mentioned how the students "feel the library is their classroom" and that collaboration provides "more individualized attention for students." *Karen - 8th grade LA teacher - stated that collaboration "put pieces of learning together" and provided "common strands of thought along the curriculum."
*McGregor's chapter highlighted the realistic challenges of collaboration, including district policies where funding and staffing is involved (201).
*The complications of change were addressed in McGregor's writing. The explanation of the two types of change (bottom-up and top-down) was helpful in understanding how those affect change in a school environment (203).
*The statement from McGregor that "there is no right or wrong way to make things happen in his or her particular situation" was comforting to me (204). It's nice to know that it is a learning process, it will have ups and downs, and it allows for more team problem-solving to work out the complexities.
*Another aspect of the teacher librarian's role that struck me was the concept of the librarian being able to have the global outlook of the curriculum. Classroom teachers are focused on one grade level and sometimes one content area, whereas the teacher librarian can see everything. As McGregor stated "The teacher librarian and the principal are typically the only ones with the 'big picture view,' and thus, the teacher librarian can propose collaborative ways to address overall problems by collaborative methods" (210). This point was also made by Paula, the principal interviewed in the testimonial videos. She said the librarian works with every single student and is the only one with the "global perspective of the school" (2009).
Citation
McGregor, J. Collaboration and Leadership. In Stripling, B. K. and Hughes-Hassell, S. (eds.), Curriculum Connections through the Library. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2003. 119-219. (pdf file)
Collaboration Testimonials
*A statement that seemed to crop up in the collaboration testimonials was the sharing of ideas. Several of the interviewees (Peg, Mary Ann, Kelly) mentioned that aspect of collaboration.
*Sherri mentioned being able to bring a very general idea to the T-L and the T-L generating ideas for doing digital storytelling.
*Tracy - elementary Art teacher - commented that collaborating "expanded instruction."
*Peg - Kindergarten teacher - mentioned how the students "feel the library is their classroom" and that collaboration provides "more individualized attention for students."
*Karen - 8th grade LA teacher - stated that collaboration "put pieces of learning together" and provided "common strands of thought along the curriculum."